Should you use a dog poop service?

Using a professional dog poop service certainly takes all the effort out of cleaning up after your dog, but aren’t such dog poop services just pure laziness? After all, how hard is it to clean up after your own dog?

Well, it might seem lazy but it’s not really; there are actually some real advantages to getting someone else to pick up your dog poop for you.

For example, if you have physical problems that mean you can’t actually clean up the dog poop yourself, hiring a dog poop pickup service means you can own a dog that you might otherwise not have been able to.

And even in a family full of people who could remove the poop themselves, the actual task of doing it is often the cause of many arguments. So if it can prevent family fallouts, surely the relatively cheap cost of using a dog poop service makes it great value for money.

And of course, then there’s the value of your time to take into account too. All the time you spend cleaning up after your dog could be time spent doing other things; getting on with work, other chores or just spending some quality time with your family, for example.

And finally, let’s be honest, it’s not a particularly pleasant job to have to do it so why not get someone else to do it for you if you can afford to? Old dog poop can often be a source of disease for your dog, so it’s important you stay on top of cleaning it up. And if you hire someone to do it for you, you know for sure it’s going to get done and you’re not going to put it off to another day.

So given that we’ve established that there are valid reasons for using a dog poop cleaning service, what services do they actually offer?

A professional dog poop service can save you time and effort when it comes to the not-very-pleasant task of cleaning up after your dog.

A typical dog poop service

A typical dog poop service will offer a couple of different options.

Dog poop removal service

Firstly, they may offer a so-called bucket service. This service involves the service provider leaving a bag-lined bucket at your home, which they’ll then come and collect each week. They remove the bag that you’ve filled with your dog’s poop and replace it with a clean, empty bag. So basically, with a dog poop removal service you still have to clean up the dog poop yourself, but it’s removed and disposed of for you.

Dog poop scoop service

With a dog poop scoop service, often called a dog poop pickup service, the service provider will visit your house and pick up all the dog poop from your yard for you, and then take it away. They will typically visit you once or twice a week, and will often also leave a bag-lined bucket for you to clear up dog poop yourself in between their visits, if you should wish to. Many service providers will also clean and deodorize decks and patios, and will treat your lawn.

What to look for in a dog poop service

There are a few things to take into account when choosing a dog poop service provider:

  • You should make sure they’re fully insured. This includes both liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance.
  • What additional services do they offer, for example, deck or patio spraying and deodorizing, lawn treatment, etc.
  • What sanitary precautions do they take between jobs? You don’t want them tramping in dog poop from their previous job when they visit, for example, as this risks spreading diseases such as Parvo.
  • You should also check how they will dispose of your dog poop. They need to follow all relevant rules and regulations for your area when disposing of it. You don’t want them just dropping it in your garbage.
  • Do you need to sign a long-term contact? If so, how do you cancel it if you’re not happy with the service provided?
  • Do they provide a guarantee? This is important because if you’re not happy with the job they’ve done, you’re going to want them to come back out and finish it properly.
  • Do you need to be there while they work?
  • Will they work while your dog is in your yard? This could be important if you’re out at work when they visit and you keep your dog outdoors.
  • Will they still visit when the weather’s poor?
  • If possible, you should try and get references and testimonials directly from satisfied customers.

Summary

A professional dog poop service can save you time and effort when it comes to the not-very-pleasant task of cleaning up after your dog.

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